A very sad day

Updated on September 8, 2010

A sad and tragic day

September 11th

The visions are forever etched in my mind and the saddest thing is that it is all very real and no matter how many years pass the brutal and surreal images will never go away as they are forever a part of my conscience and my memory. In each passing year the images are replayed over and over again and it just brings back the horror and the senseless acts of terror that mankind is responsible for. The total disregard for human life inflicted by the terrorists responsible for these heinous crimes is the hardest thing to come to grips with as we are haunted by images of trapped people fleeing the burning towers with no other choice but to jump to their deaths.

I can not find the words to express the pain these people and their families have suffered through in all honesty but as a witness of these sad and tragic events through the media I can share my feelings and my shock in seeing all that had unfolded on that fateful day of September 11th, 2001.

I remember that day quite vividly as I was driving into work at around 8:40 am on Long Island moments before the horror began. It was a sunny day and the kids were back at school. My son was only 2 years old at the time and my wife was bringing him for his dental appointment. As I was driving in to work I tuned in to sports radio 66 and I remember the reporter was relaying what he just heard as he received word that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center but he did not have any further details. As those words were spoken then a flood of reporting transpired and the images through this broadcast started to flood my mind. I remember the radio host immediately received a call in from Al Michael's who lives in the City not far from the World Trade Center and he was speaking about what he was witnessing to his shock and dismay. I could not believe what I was hearing and then I heard Al Michaels say that another plane had just hit the other tower. I was completely dumbfounded and in total shock as I heard this.

It did not register in my mind and I was wondering how 2 planes could hit both towers. I knew that it was a terror strike, an act of war and no accident. As I pulled into the parking lot I could not pull myself away from the broadcast as I listened to what was going on. It was something I would never expect to happen here so close. I have seen acts of terrorism in the news unfortunately but never something like this. There was the horrible bombing of the Oklahoma City Alfred P. Murrah federal building back in 1995 that claimed so many innocent lives including babies and that was a very painful event to witness in the media. I cried for the families and for the precious babies and their parents.

There was also the first terrorist attack of the World Trade Center with a bombing underneath in the parking area arranged by terrorists that resulted in several fatalities. The memorial tribute to those who had perished in that first attack was completely destroyed in the September 11 attacks. To try and understand this and explain it to a child has to be one of the most difficult things to ever speak about.

As I watched the news coverage from the internet from a computer at work I called my dad who had worked in the construction of the World Trade Center back in the early 1970's to speak about the attacks and the likelihood that the towers would not be able to withstand the heat from the burning jet fuel. When the towers went down we in the office were in total shock and when I spoke to my dad he had felt that would be the likely scenario because the towers were not built to withstand that kind of impact or those high temperatures. He was deeply saddened by it as a part of him had went into building the towers and he wept for all those hard working people just going to work never imagining such horror could take place. I was sad for all those who had perished and for the families. There were so many people who died that fateful day in the planes that were used as guided missiles and in the buildings that were the aimed targets.

There were many acts of heroism that day and so many who sacrificed their lives in the hope of trying to rescue others but there really was no hope for that. All the brave firemen who went into harms way to try and save human life only to be trapped and killed in the collapsing towers was truly heartbreaking. The same could be said for the passengers on the doomed flight 93 that decided to take control of their situation and fight the terrorists resulting in the plane crashing into a field in Pennsylvania rather than the terrorist's planned target speculated as the White House.

When all was said and done there were terrorist strikes in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania and the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were both hit. The World Trade Center was totally destroyed and the toll in human life was staggering. The Pentagon was also hit hard with a high death toll. The plane that went down in Pennsylvania was a testament to the brave souls on the plane like Todd Beamer, Tom Burnett and countless others who saved our nation and it's people from being hit at another high profile location. They were true heroes in every sense of the word.

So as another September 11th passes it is a day of prayer and solemn thoughts as we remember all who perished that sad and fateful day and realize how our lives and our nation and the world had changed that very day.

Comments 2 comments

Only liberals forget, We the true builders and lovers of this great country will never forget how fanatical muslims came and violated us in this manner! We will never forget how the so called prominent good muslims to this day resent having to denounce this! And we will never forget this as they try to build a trophy to themselves right across the street! God Bless America!

ediann 4 years ago Author

dad! this story f----n sux!! shame dad. you have destroyed my heart with this godf--- s--t!!! erase this dad or i will call 9/11.